1. Field of Invention
Example embodiments relate to methods and/or systems for improving paging efficiency of a user equipment (UE) device in a network.
2. Description of Related Art
Since paging messages initiated by an MME (Mobility Management Entity) comprise a significant portion of the signaling traffic involving evolved Node B′s (eNodeB's or base stations) on a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, there is an ongoing effort to reduce paging message traffic while maximizing paging effectiveness. Paging efficiency is of increasing importance since the number of eNodeB's in tracking areas is growing as vendors enhance their LTE networks to support more customers.
A typical paging range selection indicating how aggressively the MME will page a UE (User Equipment) is based on a current UE reactivation scenario type. A less aggressive paging range may start with targeted paging (e.g., paging of one or a plurality of eNodeB's), and a more aggressive paging range may start with wide area paging such as paging the entire tracking area or a plurality of tracking areas (e.g., paging all eNodeB's of a tracking area or a plurality of tracking areas). For example, the MME will page a UE that is being reactivated for a best effort data session in a less aggressive manner that maximizes paging efficiency (i.e., limits paging message traffic) but uses additional time to reach the UE. However, when the MME needs to page a UE to deliver an incoming voice call, the UE will perform paging in a more aggressive manner to reach the UE quickly so the call can be delivered.
Other conventional applications page a UE regardless of the UE's most recent status and regardless of the time at which the UE was last paged. For example, even when the UE has been in an idle state for a short time such as a few seconds, the MME would still select an aggressive paging range to reach the UE for an incoming voice call. However, an aggressive paging range that initiates wide area paging is wasteful in this situation since the location of the UE can be limited to a single node (i.e., a last seen eNodeB) due to the short time the UE has been in the idle state.